The Ultimate Guide To Men’s Watches

To the untrained eye, most watches have a tendency to look more or less the same. Look closer, however, and you’ll discover an entire ecosystem of brands and models, each with its own combination of details and features that make it subtly different from the rest.

If you’re shopping for a watch for yourself or someone else, opt for something from a reputable brand that’s been around for a while and that has a design that’s versatile enough to still look good in a decade or two. While there are countless species of watches to know, from budget-friendly bangers to rare six-figure holy grails, these are the ones you’re most likely to spot in the wild.

The Major Flex

Rolex Deepsea

“Oh, this old thing?” Some watches are designed to blend in, while others are designed to do the opposite. This unapologetically massive diver’s watch with a case and bracelet in solid 18-karat yellow gold definitely belongs to the second category.

The Conversation Starter

Omega x Swatch MoonSwatch “Mission to the Moonphase – Full Moon”

The high-low. A collab between Omega and Swatch? Yes, you read that right. Packing influences from classic horology, streetwear, the Apollo missions and everyone’s favourite cartoon beagle into its bioceramic case, this version of Swatch’s blockbuster remix has more inside references than a Kendrick Lamar track.

The One That Won’t Break The Bank

Citizen Classic

You can spend a fortune on a watch, but you really don’t need to. The Citizen Classic hits a bull’s eye on the Venn diagram of affordability and style. In addition to its minimalist dial, which perfectly complements a navy or grey suit, it’s entirely light-powered, so you’ll never need to shell out for another battery.

The Perennial Classic

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds

If it were a song, it would be on every great party mix. Created in the 1930s for polo players, this watch has a unique case that’s designed to swivel to prevent any unnecessary wear on the face. Nearly a century later, it looks as fresh as ever — with or without riding boots and jodhpurs.

The One With Unimpeachable Fashion Cred

Hermès Cut

Think of it like a Birkin for your wrist. Watches made by fashion brands tend not to get the same respect among true watch snobs, but Hermès is a notable exception. The recently launched Cut combines Swiss-made quality with the brand’s trademark whimsy — the Hermès orange of its strap.

The One You Need An Engineering Degree To Understand

Patek Philippe World Time With Date 5330G

Barrels and pinions and mainsprings, oh my! The higher you rise in the upper echelons of haute horlogerie, the more complicated — and astronomically expensive — the watches become. This one, for example, is a “world time” model that displays the time in 24 time zones and is programmed to automatically correct the date when crossing the Date Line (say, if you’re flying from Tokyo to Hawaii in your private jet).

The One That Looks Pricer Than It Is

Frederique Constant Classics Automatic

Stealth wealth. Like a perfectly tailored suit from a veteran Savile Row tailor, this timepiece looks great at a glance thanks to its sleek rose-gold-tone case and Roman-numeral dial, but fine details like Breguet-style hands and a dial decorated with a classic guilloche motif are what really make it shine.

The One With Impeccable Vintage Cred

Bulova Super Seville

Old-school style meets modern reliability. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, some of the coolest watches around were “TV dials” (so-called for their rounded-square cases reminiscent of the era’s television sets). Bulova’s latest archival re-release is a glorious throwback to those heady days but with the addition of a brand-new (and extremely accurate) Precisionist movement under the hood.

This article first appeared in FASHION’s Winter 2025 issue. Find out more here.